Appendix 2, Lead Member for Economy

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The report is a data and evidence study of the Sussex labour market, commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council. p1p16

Its stated aim is to inform the Get Sussex Working Plan and its implementation plan, and to identify themes across Sussex that the councils could work on together. p16

It follows the UK Government's Get Britain Working White Paper of November 2024, which sets an ambition of an 80% national employment rate and expects areas to draw up their own local plans. p22p27

The report says that in 2024, 807,700 working-age Sussex residents were in work, an employment rate of 77.6%, and that 25,500 more people would need to be in work for Sussex to reach 80%, including 25,540 more in East Sussex, 7,620 more in Hastings and 7,960 more in Rother. p288p289p290

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• p1Pan-Sussex Labour Market Data Mapping and Analysis
• p16This report has been commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council. Its aim is to inform the Get Sussex Working Plan and the implementation plan, and to identify pan-Sussex common themes that can be worked on collaboratively. These themes will also help inform decisions made by the future Sussex & Brighton Mayoral Combined County Authority. Sussex comprises East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
• p222. Setting the Context In November 2024, the UK Government published the Get Britain Working White Paper, setting out its approach to reducing economic inactivity and supporting people into employment, education and training by improving provision. Its ambition is to achieve an 80% national employment rate - equivalent to getting an additional two million people into work.
• p27The Government recognises the need for a localised approach and expects areas to develop their own Local Get Britain Working Plans. This aligns with devolution plans, including the proposed Sussex-wide Mayoral Authority and associated unitary authorities - the details of which are still emerging.
• p288In 2024, 807,700 of Sussex’s working-age residents were in employment, giving an employment rate of 77.6%. This is below the rate for the South East (78.7%) but above the rate for England (75.7%). The UK Government has set a target of achieving an 80% employment rate as part of its Get Britain Working Plan. West Sussex (81.4%) already exceeds this target , but Brighton & Hove (76.6%) and East Sussex (72.1%) fall short. There are also differences within the three areas, which are set out in more detail in later sections.
• p289For Sussex as a whole to reach an 80% employment rate, an additional 25,500 residents would need to be in work, assuming no change in the overall populatio n. Brighton & Hove would need to support an additional 7,140 people into employment to hit the 80% threshold, whilst in East Sussex an additional 25,540 working-age residents would need to be employed for the county to achieve an 80% employment rate. This would require an 11% increase in the number of people in work - twice the rate of increase needed in England as a whole (5.6%) .
• p290There are significant variations within the sub-areas of Sussex. Hastings would need +7,620 more people in work to achieve an 80% employment rate and Rother would need +7,960. Economic Inactivity 16-64 Year old Economic Inactivity Rates 2024